Aeroplane.



A. AHLB T.

AEROP' PPLlCATlON FILED MAY 1. 191a A 1,201,911 1 Patented Oct 17, 1916..

AUGUST AHLBREOHT, or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

AEROPLANE.

Application filed May 1,

I 5 State of Pennsylvania,'have invented a new and useful Improvement in Aeroplanes, of which improvement the following is a specification.

I My invention relates to improvements in aeroplanes, particularly to the Construction of bi'-planes,'and has for its object toprovide simple and eflective means to prevent dangerous tipping or overturningof the biplane and to'reestablish itsbalance when dis turbed by cross currents or pockets in the air. I accomplish. this object by means of the novel construction and arrangement. of parts hereinafter more specifically described, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part hereof, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bi plane showing my improvement applied. Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating thegeneral arrangementof the various planes. Referring tosaid drawings, 1, indicates an aeroplane frame, which may be of any suitable form or construction, 2, is the lower sustaining plane or aerofoil secured to said frame; at each side of which are rigidly secured the outwardly and upwardly inclined balancing planes, 3, which are preferably disposed at an angle'of approximately thirty degrees, .said planes forming practically a continuation of the lower sustaining, plane,

35 2. Immediately above the'balancing planes, 3, are arranged the balancing planes, 4:,

which are likewise secured to the frame-.

. work some distance above the balancing planes '3, and are outwardly and upwardly inclined at approximately the same angle of thirty degrees to a height somewhat above the upper sustaining aerofoils, and each terminating at its upper. edge in an outwardly extended deflector, 5, the surface of these planes being preferably of larger area than the lower balancing planes. I

Centrally and oppositely inclined balancing' planes, 6, are suitably secured to the edges to provide anopen space therebetween for the passage of air and the planes of each of which extend upwardly and outwardly at, an angle of approximately thirty. degrees to a greater height above the upper. sustaining planes than the balanclng planes,

Specification of Letters Patent.

fframe supports, separated at their lower- PatentedOct. 17, 1916.

1915. Serial No. 25,156.

4, and being each fiangedoutwardly attheir upper edges to form the deflectors 7.

8, 9, and 10, indicate sections of the upper sustaining planes or aerofoils, the aerofoil section 8 being located between the upper balancing plane l and the central balancing plane 6 and so disposed that there is a space for the passage of air at the sides adjacent said balancing planes The central-aerofoil section, 9, is located between the central balancing planes and is also separated therefrom by an open a1r space at each side thereof adjacent said central balancing planes. Aerofoi-l section 10 is located be tween the balancing planes 4 and 6 at the right hand side as indicated in the diagram -Fig. 2, being also separated from each of said balancing planes by an opening or air space'at each sidethereof.

It will be seen that anaeroplane pro- 'vided with my improved construction, when encountered bya cross current flowing to.- ward one side thereof, as, for instance, at the left side, then said current acts upon the underside of the balancing planes'thereat, raising the left side of the aeroplane and causingsame to dip and tend to descend to the right. At the same time, the pressure of the sustaining air layer on the right side'acts on the underside of the right hand balanc '85 mg planes and on the upper sides of the left hand balancing planes after havin passed between the lower and upper aerofoi s thereto, causes the aeroplane to slide or skid upon the air layer to the right, until it again becomesrighted to its normal position.

-During the above described action of a current of aii' acting on the left of? the aeroplane, the deflector 5 on the balancing'plane 4, at the right side, and the deflector 7, at-the right of the central bal anc'ing plane 6 tends to deflect or guide the air to the underside of the balancing plane of which it forms a part. Furthermore, the balancing planes 4 and 6 being extended above the sustaining planes or aerofoil sections 8, 9 and 10, the flow of air over the upper portion of the deflectors 5 and 7 is prevented from coming into immediate or direct contact with the upper side of the sustaining aerofoil sections thereat, during d1pping, causing the air from the right to act thereby assisting in establishing the balance.

By providing an aeroplane with balanc ing planes such as described, it will be readily apparent that the same will be auto matically righted to its normal horizontal position, no matter as to which side the current of air may flow or tend to disturb its balance.

I claim as my invention and desire to se- -cure by Letters Patent:

1. In an aeroplane,the combination of a lower sustaining plane. having an inclined balancing plane positioned rigidly at each side thereof and constituting a continuation thereof, .said balancing planes being opp0- sitely inclined and having their outer edges uppermost, rigidly fixed balancing planes above the aforesaid balancing planes and at a like inclination thereto, centrally disposed rigidly fixedand oppositely inclined balanc-' ing planes located above the lower sustainmg plane', and upper sustaining planes or i aerofoils formed of sections, one of said sec:

tionsbeing disposed between the central balancing planes, leaving an air space therebetween, and the other sections between the said central and the upper side balancing planes, having air spaces therebetween.

, 2. In an aeroplane, the, combination ofa lower sustaining plane having an inclined balancing plane positioned rigidly at each side thereof and constituting'a continuation thereof said balancing planes being oppositely inclined and havingtheir outer edgesuppermost," rigidly fixed balancing planes above the aforesaid balancing planes and at a like inclination thereto, centrally disposed rigidly fixed and oppositely inclined balancing planes located above the lower sustaim ing plane, the upper ends thereof extending above the upper edges of the upper balancing planes, and an upper sustainingplane formed of sections, one of said sections being disposed between the central balancing planes, having an air space therebetween, and the other sections between said central and upper side balancing planes having air spaces therebetween.

3. In an aeroplane, the. combination of a lower sustaining plane having an inclined balancing plane positioned rigidly at each side thereof and constituting a continuation thereof,-said balancing planes being oppositely inclined and having their outer edges uppermost, rigidly fixed balancing planes above the aforesaid balancing planes and at a like inclination thereto, centrally disposed rigidly fixed'and oppositely inclined balancing planes located above the lower sustaining plane, the upper ends thereof extending above the upper edges of the upper balanc ing planes, and an upper sustaining plane formed of sections, one of said sections being disposed between the central balancing planes, having air spaces therebetween, and the other sections betweensaid central and upper'balancing planes having air spaces therebetween, sai upper side balancing planes and said central balancing planes be ing-each provided with a turn-over deflector 

